Incase Protective Cover for Apple iPhone Review

Introduction:

If there’s anything anyone can agree about the Apple iPhone, it’s this – it’s absolutely beautiful. You spend an obscene amount of money for a smartphone which arguably can be considered a work of art, thus wouldn’t you want to protect it? While it might be a bit late to protect my iPhone from scratches (which I’ve had since the first day the phone was made available in late June), I thought it would be good to take a look at a couple of iPhone cases made by the folks at Incase. Today, we’ll take a quick look at the Incase Molded Rubber Protective Case for the Apple iPhone which retails for $29.95.

Features:

The Incase Protective Cover/Molded Rubber Case for the iPhone features the following:

Access to all controls and dock connector
Allows charging while in case
Custom topographic pattern exterior
Speakerphone and microphone openings
Form-fitting construction
Camera lens cutout
Provides a good grip on the iPhone
Flexible for a secure fit on the phone
Durable construction

Packaging and Overview:

Because we all love pictures… here are snapshots of the packaging:

Here’s the front of the case:

Here’s the back of the case (note the textured pattern):

Here’s the top of the case:

And finally, the bottom of the case:

Usage:

The Incase Protective Cover is extremely easy to install over the Apple iPhone. Since the case is flexible, all you need to do is slide the iPhone into the front of the case and then stretch the cover around the other corners of the phone (think of what it’s like to put bed sheets on your mattress. You are the one to put bed sheets on your mattress right?!?!).

Once installed, the only openings will be the major ports, and the front of the screen. The hardened glass screen is the one part of the iPhone most resistant to scratches.

Here’s what the front looks like with the Incase cover in place:

Here’s the top:

Here’s the bottom:

As you can tell, the cover provides access to all the ports on the iPhone. The cutaways are exacting so you won’t have any problem connecting the headphones or docking cable to the iPhone. My only complaint is access to the ringer on/off switch on the left side. It’s a bit of a pain to flick the switch with the cover on – especially if you have thick fingers.

The top power button and the left-side volume button are entirely covered by the rubber case but the raised relief patterns make it easy for you to find and press these buttons nevertheless.

Keep in mind that with the covering in place, you will not be able to dock the iPhone into the docking cradle. If you don’t want to keep removing the Incase Protective Cover, you’ll need to directly connect the USB cable to the iPhone and forgo the dock cradle.

If you’ve always felt the iPhone was a bit slippery in your hands, then you’ll love the fact that the Incase Protective Cover provides ample grip to the sides and back of the iPhone. With this cover in place, it’s less likely that my iPhone will be accidentally falling out of my hand anytime soon. However, should it fall, the cover will provide a decent amount of protection to the sides and back of the device. Of course the iPhone screen is a totally different matter, but again, that’s the hardest part of the entire phone. The case is designed to prevent small dings and scratches from appearing on the rest of the iPhone (or in my case, to keep the number of scratches constant from here on out!). Drop the phone from a high enough location onto a hard enough ground and I’m sure the iPhone will still be damaged (if the screen doesn’t crack first!). Keep in mind that it’s not designed to protect the glass touchscreen of the iPhone. There’s no protective film in place at all so if you’re looking for all inclusive case, you’ll need to look elsewhere. The Incase Protective Cover is designed to provide just enough protection for the vulnerable parts of the iPhone.

Using the iPhone with the protective cover in place was a breeze. All the covered buttons were completely workable. I was able to talk to my friends without a problem and the overall physical size of the phone is only increased by a small amount.

On the downside, this Incase Protective Cover certainly won’t win any beauty or design contests. You can choose from a variety of colors (I just happened to like red) but it won’t make your iPhone anymore “beautiful” than it already is – but that’s not really the point is it? Remember, we’re trying to protect this work of art!

Summary:

While the iPhone’s screen is tough to scratch and mar, the same can’t be said about the rest of the smartphone. I must have scratched the sides of the iPhone within a few hours of owning the device (sigh.. the same sad story since my very first iPod too). Thus if you want to try and preserve your iPhone, it only makes sense that you pick up some sort of case for the device. The Incase Protective Cover is an inexpensive solution – providing enough protection where needed, access to all the ports, good grip to the device, and a durable rubber finish. It’s not the most glamorous case out there nor does it protect the hardened glass screen but it’s a good moderate approach to protecting the iPhone.

Pros: